Category: Uncategorized

Why does it take a village to raise a child? Because a critical aspect of human development is our environment. Not just the people in our environment, but the institutions they create and run. It’s important that these establishments demonstrate the behaviors we are expected to display in society. For example, seeing compost bins in restaurants encouraged me to get my own for my home. Societal norms are frequently reinforced or even started by our community organizations and companies. So, if we want to reduce food waste, we need our village (or community) to set the example.

Here are some impactful ways owners of our community establishments can reinforce the importance of reducing food waste:

• “Skip a Side” initiative. Quite often combo meals come with additional food that’s undesired (I’m looking at you coleslaw). When substituting for something else isn’t an option, people will typically just take what is given and not eat it. If encouraged, it’s likely people would skip a side, even without a price adjustment. This can be communicated with menu notes or posters in restaurants that encourage patrons to ask that a side be excluded if they don’t plan to eat it (similar to hotels asking to hang up towels that will be reused). As a limited promotion for the initiative, owners can provide coupons to those who participate.
• Food surveys and analytics. Periodically ask the consumer what they think of the current food and/or monitor consumption. Customer surveys can at times be noisy, but you can get a sense of what’s most liked/disliked. This information can help reduce food that stays in a kitchen unordered or on a plate uneaten. This practice doesn’t only apply to restaurants – schools, churches, or any community center that provides food can benefit from knowing if people want what they’re giving (even if it’s free).
• Reduce over-service. For serving lines, encourage food workers to start with the minimum and add more upon request. For paying establishments, there may be concerns of coming across as ‘cheap’. In this event, posted literature letting the customer know why your team is taking this approach can go a long way.
• Spread the Word. Recycling, due to great PR, went from non-existent to being a standard practice around the world. Until food waste reduction can capture that type of representation, community leaders can trailblaze this effort by displaying infographics in their establishments. For example, share ways the organization reduces food waste. This would not only be good PR for the initiative, but for your institution as well.

For help on how you can implement these ideas or others, please contact Outside2Inside to support your food waste reduction journey.

By Felicia Yoakum, O2I Volunteer

Food waste is a global issue that demands our attention – a third of the food produced for human consumption is reportedly wasted annually, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This waste not only throws away priceless resources, but also worsens the environment. Despite this obstacle, a new movement called creative upcycling is widely used to turn food waste into creations that are practical and beneficial around the house.

Creative upcycling entails using waste resources, in this example food waste, in new ways to make art and home furnishings. It is a sustainable strategy that gives new life to materials that otherwise would have been discarded. It allows us to improve the environment and human health by using our imagination to rethink the possibilities of food waste.

Fruit and vegetable peels are among the most versatile food waste materials for upcycling. These vibrant and multicolored peels are often dried, stored, and used to make one-of-a-kind artworks rather than being thrown away. For example, dried orange peels turn into aromatic potpourri to give your home a clean, fresh fragrance. Potato peels can also be dried and made into earthy, rustic wall décor or even used as stencils to paint designs on cloth.

Coffee grounds, that are frequently thrown away, can be mixed with non-toxic glue, dried and shaped into sculptures for decoration, or used as a natural fabric dye. Additionally, they may be used with beeswax to create fragrant, environmentally friendly candles. This not only cuts down on waste but also gives your living environment a little bit of personality.

Unused wine corks, which are frequently left at the back of kitchen drawers, can be crafted into striking works of art. It creates a chic and useful bulletin board or wall decoration by arranging them in different designs and pinning them on a board. When visitors come to your house, this not only cuts down on waste but also makes for a good discussion starter!

Additionally, to individual food products, food packaging can be creatively reused. Mason jars can be turned into visually beautiful kitchen items by giving them unique labels or painting them in vivid colors. Tin cans can also be used to create pots for an indoor herb garden, bringing a touch of greenery indoors while reducing waste.

Upcycling in a creative way is not just restricted to the visual arts. Culinary innovation can also be stimulated by food waste. Fruit and vegetable leftovers are often reused to create nourishing soups or smoothies. Making croutons or breadcrumbs from stale bread cuts down on waste while enhancing the flavor and texture of your food. We can decrease food waste in our kitchens and produce delicious meals by adopting the idea of “nose-to-tail” cooking, in which every component of the product is used.

Creative upcycling also allows us to find an answer to the problem of food waste and its management worldwide. We can cut down on waste, advance sustainability, and infuse our living spaces with a little bit of creativity by turning leftover food ingredients into art and home décor. One upcycled invention at a time, let’s embrace our creativity, rethink the possibilities of food waste, and improve the environment.

By Gaura Jha
Student Volunteer @ O2I